Jewel in the Palace
The story is set in Korea during the reigns of King Seongjong (1457–1494), King Yeonsan (1494–1506) and King Jungjong (1506–1544). The epilogue also spans through the reigns of King Injong (1544-1545) and King Myeongjong (1545-1567), with the last scene from March, 1550.
At the outset, King Seongjong has ordered the execution by poisoning of his wife Deposed Queen Lady Yun, the mother of the crown prince (the future Prince Yeonsan). After carrying out the execution, one of the royal guards, Seo Cheon-soo, is haunted by it. On his way home, he suffers an accident and is rescued by a mysterious hermit with a cryptic message – that his life will revolve around three women: the first he has already met, but he killed her; another he will save, but will die because of him; and the third will kill him, but will go on to save many lives. It doesn't become clear until later in the story that the three women are the poisoned deposed queen, Park Myeong-yi (Seo's eventual wife) and Jang-geum (Seo's daughter). Haunted by the curse of the executed deposed queen and his prophesied fate at the hands of the third woman, he abandons his post and also becomes a hermit, refusing to take a wife. After many years, the former king dies and the Crown Prince ascends the throne. Park Myeong-yi is a palace girl and apprentice cook of the royal kitchen. She witnesses a fellow apprentice, a girl from the powerful Choi clan named Choi Seong-geum, slip poison into the Great Royal Dowager Queen's food. Unaware that the senior kitchen officers are part of a conspiracy against the said Queen, Myeong-yi informs them. The officers, fearful that Myeong-yi might reveal their conspiracy, attempt to murder her by framing her committing adultery with a royal guard, then executing her with poison. Myeong-yi's best friend, Han Baek-young, manages to save her by secretly diluting the poison with an antidote and leaves the unconscious Myeong-yi a letter explaining what had happened. As Seo Cheon-soo wanders through the forest, he stumbles upon the half-conscious Myeong-yi, rescues her, and the two fall in love and marry. They end up living peacefully in a remote village as lower caste commoners and raise a clever daughter named Seo Jang-geum.
When Jang-geum is eight years old, king Yeongsangun learns about the murder of his mother and vows revenge, seeking and killing people who were previously involved. Among them is Jang-geum's father, who so far managed to hide his identity. However, following an incident, Jang-geum accidentally causes him to be arrested. Her mother, rushing on the way to Hanyang to visit her husband, is spotted by Choi's family and eventually killed by an arrow. Jang-geum, now an orphan, is adopted by Kang Duk-gu and Na Joo-daek, a family making a living through selling wine. Two years later, Jang-geum enters the palace after king Jungjong ascends to the throne. She is committed to be able to enter the middle kitchen (where her mother used to cook) to uncover her mother's letter written for her. During this time, she meets Lady Han and they form a mother-daughter bond. The Right Minister Oh Gyeom-ho (the Choi clan's ally within the Royal Cabinet) frame Lady Han and Jang-geum as traitors in league with Jo Gwang-jo, the famous Joseon reformer. In an effort to save Jang-geum, Lady Han declares that she alone is guilty of treason. Nonetheless, both are judged guilty and sent to Jeju Island to work as government slaves. On the way to Jeju, Lady Han dies from her injuries. Lady Choi replaces her as the head court lady of the royal kitchen, while Jang-geum vows revenge. Official Min Jeong-ho, who's in love with Jang-geum, follows her to Jeju Island and offers to help her escape, but she refuses since doing so would mean never being able to return to the palace to not only clear Lady Han's name, but obtain justice for her mother's death. Min Jeong-ho declares he will wait for her and help her out throughout her stay in Jeju.
On Jeju, Jang-geum meets a woman named Jang-deok, a famous female doctor. Jang-deok's blunt and forthright manner at first offend her, but as time goes by, she begins to see that the female doctor is dedicated and caring. As the days go by, Jang-geum realizes that her only way back to the palace is to become a female physician, and begs Jang-deok to teach her medicine. Jang-geum's friend, Jeong Woon-baek, an eccentric royal physician, disapproves of her decision to pursue medicine in order to take revenge, but, in spite of this, she perseveres and earns herself a post as a female doctor-in-training at the palace. Here she encounters her former friend Choi Geum-young, who has been promoted to head lady of the kitchen, while the ruthlessly ambitious Lady Choi is now in charge of all the women working in the palace. Jang-geum's childhood best friend, Lee Yeon-saeng, has caught the king's eye, and is now his concubine. Jang-geum endures many trials at the palace, but manages to accomplish great feats.
With Jang-geum's status rising, several events ensue that lead to an investigation of the Choi clan, resulting in the prosecution of Lady Choi, her elder brother and several high-ranking officials, including the Chief State Councillor. Everyone tries to escape, but only Lady Choi manages to evade the guards. Jang-geum finds her and asks if she is willing to sacrifice her niece, Geum-young, to the authorities while she herself escapes. Having abandoned her ethics and conscience for the sake of the Choi clan a long time ago, Lady Choi is unable to respond. Torn between self-preservation and guilt, she wanders the countryside hallucinating, ends up falling off a cliff off Mount Dongin and dies. Choi Geum-young loses her position and is exiled along with the other officials.
Through her dedication, perseverance and medical skills, Jang-geum saves the royal family from re-occurring ill fortune. After giving birth to a stillborn child, Queen Consort Munjeong remains ill. Jang-geum correctly identifies a second stillborn fetus in her womb and saves her life. She convinces the Dowager Queen Mother to undergo medical treatment at the risk of being beheaded, and she also cures Grand Prince Gyeongwon of smallpox, which earns her the permanent gratitude of the Queen Consort.
For her achievements King Jungjong makes Jang-geum a 6th rank official and appoints her to be his personal physician, the first woman to hold such a position. The court is in uproar and the state councillors unanimously oppose the appointment on the grounds that it violates the country's constitution. When the Dowager Queen Mother humiliates herself to express her disapproval, the king revokes his decision. She urges the king to take Jang-geum as one of his concubines. Although he is in love with Jang-geum, he refrains from making her one of his concubines against her will. Jang-geum contains a small pox epidemic, and the king finally decrees her his personal physician. She is granted the honorific Dae (meaning "The Great"), as well as the position of a third rank official. The ministers and scholars of the court bitterly accept the decree, but demand that the king punish Min Jeong-ho for supporting Jang-geum's appointment. Seeing an opportunity to separate the lovers, the king agrees and Jeong-ho is sentenced to exile.
Eventually, the king's previous medical condition re-emerges. Jang-geum attempts to heal him using all the medical equipment and knowledge available at the time. The other doctors offer advice but nothing works; the king is dying. Jang-geum resorts to her last option—an experimental technique using newly "discovered" anesthesia and surgery. However, the king's body is considered sacred and the court unanimously opposes this new procedure, and the king decides not to allow the operation. Knowing Jang-geum's life will be in danger after his death, the repentant king grants her escape to be with Min Jeong-ho. The two of them live as fugitives and have a daughter, So-hoon.
Eight years later, King Jungjong is dead and Grand Prince Gyeongwon has been enthroned, while his mother Queen Munjeong is now both the Great Royal Dowager Queen and the Regent, wielding enormous power. When she learns that Jang-geum is still in the country, she invites her and Jeong-ho to return to the palace and be reinstated to their previous positions. Jang-geum and Jeong-ho joyfully return, but decide to live outside the palace for the sake of their family. Jang-geum leaves the palace not before seeing her friends from afar. As they return to their previous routine, Jang-geum comes across a pregnant woman, and successfully uses her surgical skills to deliver the woman's baby via Caesarean section. While she celebrates her success, Jeong-ho laments the repressive social climate of Korea, and its inability to accommodate a woman with ambitions.
Main characters
Jo Jung-eun as young Jang-geum
. Ji Jin-hee as Min Jeong-ho
. Hong Ri-na as Choi Geum-young
Lee Se-young as young Choi Geum-young
Yang Mi-kyung as Han Baek-young/Lady Han
Kyeon Mi-ri as Choi Seong-geum/Lady Choi
Awards
2003 MBC Drama Awards
· Grand Prize/Daesang - Lee Young-ae
· Top Excellence Award, Actress - Lee Young-ae
· Special Acting Award - Yang Mi-kyung
· Special Acting Award - Lim Hyun-sik
· Best Screenplay - Kim Young-hyun
2004 Baeksang Arts Awards
· Best Director (TV) - Lee Byung-hoon
· Most Popular Actress (TV) - Yang Mi-kyung
International broadcast
Country | Network(s)/Station(s) | Series premiere | Title |
August 2007 | جواهر در قصر (Jewel in the Palace) | ||
2008 | جوهرة القصر (Jewel of the Palace) | ||
September 2005 | The Great Jang-Geum | ||
2012 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
January 2012 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
January 2010 | Dragulj u Carskoj Palati (The Jewel in the Imperial Palace) | ||
April 2007 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
July 2018 | Съкровище в двореца (Treasure in the palace) | ||
TV5 | June 2005 | ជីវីតនាងចំាងគឹម (The Life of Jang Geum Lady) | |
(Jewel In The Palace) | |||
July 2005 | The Great Jang-Geum | ||
September 2005 | 大长今 (Great Jang Geum) | ||
March 2010 | Una Joya en el Palacio (The Jewel in the Palace) | ||
October 2009 | Una Joya en el Palacio (The Jewel in the Palace) | ||
June 2009 | Una Joya en el Palacio (The Jewel in the Palace) | ||
June 2006 | جوهرة القصر (Jewel in the Palace) | ||
2008 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
November 2016 | (Jewel In The Palace) | ||
TV3 | February 2006 | Jewel in the Palace | |
October 2009 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
TV 100 | December 2013 | Το Κόσμημα του Παλατιού | |
January 2012 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
September 2005 | 大長今 (Great Jang Geum) | ||
October 2008 | A palota ékköve (The Jewel in the Palace) | ||
September 2007 | घर का चिराग (The Lamp of the House) | ||
December 2005 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
November 2006 | جواهری در قصر (Jewel in the Palace) | ||
October 2008 | היהלום שבכתר (The Diamond in the Crown) | ||
October 2005 | 宮廷女官チャングムの誓い (The Vow of Palace Court Lady Jang Geum) | ||
MEM | June 2006 | جوهرة القصر (Jewel in the Palace) | |
October 2009 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
December 2005 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
October 2009 | Una Joya en el Palacio (The Jewel in the Palace) | ||
March 2004 | Дэ Жанг Гүм | ||
Myawady TV (MWD), MRTV-4 | June 2018 | Jewel of the palace ("Flower in the Palace") | |
October 2009 | The Great Jang-Geum | ||
August 2008 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
January 2015 | (Nageen) | ||
November 2008 | Una Joya en el Palacio (The Jewel in the Palace) | ||
November 2005 | Jewel in the Palace / Ang Katangi-tanging Hiyas ng Palasyo / Ang Tunay na Yaman ng Palasyo | ||
2013 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
October 1, 2018 | Jewel in the Palace / Ang Katangi-tanging Hiyas ng Palasyo | ||
September 2010 | Una Joya en el Palacio (The Jewel in the Palace) | ||
May 2004 | 大長今 (Great Jang Geum) | ||
April 2009 | Giuvaierul Palatului (Jewel in the Palace) | ||
March 2007 | Жемчужина дворца (The Jewel in the Palace) | ||
GNN | January 2012 | Jewel in the Palace | |
GNN | January 2012 | Jewel in the Palace | |
October 2007 | جوهرة القصر (Jewel in the Palace) | ||
July 2005 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
March 2006 | "大長今 Jewel in the Palace" | ||
September 2003 | 대장금 (Dae Jang Geum) | ||
November 2010 | Una Joya en el Palacio (The Jewel in the Palace) | ||
October 2012 | සුජාත දියණි (Sujatha Diyani) | ||
August 2013 | சுஜாத தியனி (Sujatha Diyani) | ||
Independent Television (ITV) | August 2008 | Jewel in the Palace | |
October 2005 | แดจังกึม จอมนางแห่งวังหลวง (Great Jang Geum) | ||
July 2011 | Jewel in the Palace | ||
June 2015 | جوهرة القصر (Jewel in the Palace) | ||
January 2008 | Saraydaki Mücevher (Jewel in the Palace) | ||
October 2007 | جوهرة القصر (Jewel in the Palace) | ||
June 2005 | The Great Jang-Geum | ||
November 2005 | Saroy Javohiri (Jewel in the Palace) | ||
September 2005 | Nàng Dae Jang Geum (Miss Dae Jang Geum) | ||
AIT | August 2008 | Jewel in the Palace | |
AIT | August 2008 | Jewel in the Korean Palace |
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